Umbrella.



m. sa4,0|a. Patented Oct. 3, I899.

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UMBRELLA.

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(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM GLENN MCGEE, OF ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

UMBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 9. 634,018, dated October 3, 1899.

- Application filed February 16, 1899. Serial No. 705,610. No model.)

To all whom/ it UI/CIIZ/COW/CQWL: Be it known that I, WILLIAM GLENN Mo- GEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anderson, in the county of Anderson and State of South Carolina, have invented cerv socket and a ball passed through into that tain new and useful Improvements in Um brella-Frames, of which the following isa specification.

My invention is an improvement in umbrella-frames; and it consists of a frame having ball-and-socket joints fastening the ribs to the top sleeve in such a way that any one rib may be taken out and replaced and another rib substituted without disturbing any of the other ribs in the sleeve; also of securing the lower ends of the braces to the lower sleeve and the upper ends of the braces to the ribs in the same way.

In the accompanying'drawings, Figure 1 is a partial view of an umbrella-frame, the upper and lower sleeves and their attachments being in section. Fig. 2is a portion of the staff, a sectional view of one of the socketplates shown in Fig. 3, and ofthe ball-holding plate shown in Fig. 4 and of the band shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 3 is a face view of anannular socket-plate. Fig. 4 is a face view of an annular ball-holding plate. a Fig. 5 is an end view of a ring. Fig. 6 is an inverse view of a clamp for holding one end of an umbrellabrace. Fig. 7 is a view showing one-half of the clamp shown in Fig. 6. Fig, 8 is a view of the brace.

To an ordinary umbrclla-staii 1 are secured two annular ball-bearing plates 2. These plates are each provided with a sleeve 3, which sleeve has a shoulder i, and each plate is provided with a number of slots 5, through v which the upper ends of the ribs are permit- .ted to move up and down as the umbrella is opened or closed. Each plate is also provided with a number of ball-bearing sockets 6, that carry the balls 7 on the upper ends of the ribs 8,

The ball-bearing socket-s 6 are oval-shaped, and the balls 7 are also oval-shaped and exactly fit in their respective sockets, so that the ribs may not turn in their sockets.

Fitting around the shoulder i of theplate 2 is anannular ball-holding plate 9, which is provided with a slot 10, passing through its periphery and terminating in an Qvalshaped opening 11 just large enough for one of the bearing clamp 20.

oval-shaped balls 7 to pass through. This opening 11 is put immediately'overone of the ball-bearing sockets 6 and the ball 7 passed through into said socket 6.

Then the plate is turned until the opening 11 is over another socket,and then said plate is turned until said opening 11 is over another socket, and so on until all the ribs of the umbrella have been put 'in,and then said plate 9 is secured from further 'turniug by a screw 12, which passes through a perforation 13 in plate 9 and into a threaded perforation let in plate 2. i is held down on the plate 2 by means of a ring The said plate 9 15, which is secured to the sleeve 3 by means of a rivet 16. This rivet may also pass through the stafi it desired to hold the said sleeve in place there. V

The balls 17 of the braces 18 are held in the lower plate 2 exactly in the same manner as the balls 7 are held in the upper plate 2, and the ring 15 is held to the sleeve 3 by a rivet, as above described, and the balls 17 are put in the sockets of the lower plate and secured therein in the same way that the balls 7 are put in the sooketsof the upper plate.

To take any one of the ribs 8 out of the upper sockets or any one of the braces 18 out of the lower sockets,the screw 12 is taken out and the plate, turned until the opening 11 comes over the rib or brace to be removed, and when replaced the plate 9 is turned back to its former position and the screw 12 again put in.

The braces 18 have an oval-shaped ball on each end. The balls on the inner end-I have have marked 19.

To each of the ribs 8 is secured a ball- Each one of these clamps is sccuredto the ribs by rivet 21 and a screw 22 and has a slot 23 in one end terminating in a ball-bearing socket 24. When the said clamp 20 is on the rib, its side 25 is next the staif and the ribs 8 fit in the opening 26. The clamp is first pivoted to the rib by the rivet 21 and then the side 25 is turned down and the ball19 passed through the opening 26 until it enters the socket 2%. Then the side 25 is turned back in place and the clamp 20 se cured by means of a screw desired to take the ball 19 out of the clamp When it is 1 20, the screw 22 is taken out, the side 25 turned down, and the ball slips immediately out of the opening 26.

The lower ball-holding device is provided with an inner sleeve or an extension of sleeve 3, having a slot, so that the umbrella may be held open or shut, as is usual.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In an umbrella-frame the combination with the staff 1 of the ball-bearing plates 2 provided each with a sleeve 3 and a shoulder 4, slots 5, oval-shaped ball-bearing sockets 6, and a threaded perforation 1 L; annular plate 9 provided with a slot 10, oval-shaped opening 11, perforation 13, and a central opening r adapted to fit over shoulder 4 of the plate 2;

21, and screw 22 securing said clamps to the ribs 8, substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

2. In an umbrella-frame the combination with the staff 1 of the ball-bearing plates 2 provided each with a sleeve 3 and a shoulder 4, slots 5, oval-shaped ball-bearing sockets 6, and a threaded perforation 14L; annular plate 9 provided with a slot 10, oval-shaped opening 11, perforation 13, and a central opening adapted to fit over shoulder 4B of plate 2; screw 12 holding said plate 9 from turning; ring 15 fitting around sleeve 3 and adapted to hold plate 9 down on the upper face of plate 2; rivet 16 holding said ring to sleeve 3; ribs 8 provided with oval-shaped balls 7 fitting into oval-shaped ball-bearing sockets 6 of the upper plate; braces 18 having each on one end an oval-shaped ball 17 and on the other an oval-shaped ball 19, said balls 17 adapted to fit in bail-bearingsoekets 6 of the lower plate; and means for securing balls 19 to the ribs, substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM GLENN MGGEE.

Witnesses:

H. H. WATKINS, M. O. BONHAM. 

